South Korea Hydro Power: Generation, Share and Trend
South Korea generated 3.80 TWh of electricity from hydro in 2025, 0.6% of its total, according to Ember. That made it the 75th largest hydro power producer in 2025 of the 153 countries with Ember data, comparing each country's latest year. Hydro supplied 14.0% of the world's electricity in 2025. These are annual statistics for 2025, with monthly figures through June 2026; they are compiled from national sources and are not real time.
Key Facts
- South Korea generated 3.80 TWh of electricity from hydro in 2025.
- Hydro supplied 0.6% of South Korea's electricity in 2025.
- South Korea was the 75th largest hydro power producer in 2025 among the 153 countries with Ember data, comparing each country's latest year.
- South Korea's hydro generation in 2025 was 2% lower than in 2020, when it was 3.88 TWh.
- South Korea's hydro generation in 2025 was 77% higher than in 2015, when it was 2.15 TWh.
- South Korea's hydro generation peaked at 4.89 TWh in 2003.
- South Korea's hydro share in 2025 was below the world share of 14.0%.
- South Korea had 1.83 GW of hydro generating capacity in 2025.
Key Figures, 2025
| Measure | Value | As of / source |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro generation | 3.80 TWh | 2025 · Ember |
| Share of South Korea's electricity | 0.6% | 2025 · Ember |
| World share of hydro | 14.0% | 2025 · Ember |
| Rank by hydro generation (each country's latest year) | 75 of 153 | 2025 · Ember |
| Hydro capacity | 1.83 GW | 2025 · Ember |
Hydro Generation Year by Year
Ember annual statistics, 1985 to 2025Annual statistics through 2025, GWh
| Year | Hydro |
|---|---|
| 1985 | 3.18 TWh |
| 1986 | 3.11 TWh |
| 1987 | 3.97 TWh |
| 1988 | 1.99 TWh |
| 1989 | 2.96 TWh |
| 1990 | 4.68 TWh |
| 1991 | 3.49 TWh |
| 1992 | 3.10 TWh |
| 1993 | 4.23 TWh |
| 1994 | 2.35 TWh |
| 1995 | 2.76 TWh |
| 1996 | 2.42 TWh |
| 1997 | 2.81 TWh |
| 1998 | 4.28 TWh |
| 1999 | 4.16 TWh |
| 2000 | 4.01 TWh |
| 2001 | 2.33 TWh |
| 2002 | 3.23 TWh |
| 2003 | 4.89 TWh |
| 2004 | 4.31 TWh |
| 2005 | 3.67 TWh |
| 2006 | 3.47 TWh |
| 2007 | 3.63 TWh |
| 2008 | 3.07 TWh |
| 2009 | 2.81 TWh |
| 2010 | 3.68 TWh |
| 2011 | 4.60 TWh |
| 2012 | 3.97 TWh |
| 2013 | 4.29 TWh |
| 2014 | 2.75 TWh |
| 2015 | 2.15 TWh |
| 2016 | 2.85 TWh |
| 2017 | 2.81 TWh |
| 2018 | 3.36 TWh |
| 2019 | 2.79 TWh |
| 2020 | 3.88 TWh |
| 2021 | 3.05 TWh |
| 2022 | 3.54 TWh |
| 2023 | 3.72 TWh |
| 2024 | 4.30 TWh |
| 2025 | 3.80 TWh |
Annual statistics through 2025, % of generation
| Year | South Korea | World |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 5.1% | n/a |
| 1986 | 4.5% | n/a |
| 1987 | 5.0% | n/a |
| 1988 | 2.1% | n/a |
| 1989 | 2.9% | n/a |
| 1990 | 4.0% | n/a |
| 1991 | 2.7% | n/a |
| 1992 | 2.1% | n/a |
| 1993 | 2.6% | n/a |
| 1994 | 1.3% | n/a |
| 1995 | 1.4% | n/a |
| 1996 | 1.1% | n/a |
| 1997 | 1.1% | n/a |
| 1998 | 1.8% | n/a |
| 1999 | 1.6% | n/a |
| 2000 | 1.4% | 17.2% |
| 2001 | 0.8% | 16.5% |
| 2002 | 1.0% | 16.3% |
| 2003 | 1.4% | 15.7% |
| 2004 | 1.2% | 16.1% |
| 2005 | 0.9% | 16.1% |
| 2006 | 0.9% | 16.0% |
| 2007 | 0.9% | 15.5% |
| 2008 | 0.7% | 16.1% |
| 2009 | 0.6% | 16.3% |
| 2010 | 0.7% | 16.1% |
| 2011 | 0.9% | 15.9% |
| 2012 | 0.8% | 16.3% |
| 2013 | 0.8% | 16.4% |
| 2014 | 0.5% | 16.3% |
| 2015 | 0.4% | 16.2% |
| 2016 | 0.5% | 16.3% |
| 2017 | 0.5% | 16.0% |
| 2018 | 0.6% | 15.8% |
| 2019 | 0.5% | 15.8% |
| 2020 | 0.7% | 16.3% |
| 2021 | 0.5% | 15.2% |
| 2022 | 0.6% | 15.0% |
| 2023 | 0.6% | 14.3% |
| 2024 | 0.7% | 14.4% |
| 2025 | 0.6% | 14.0% |
| Year | Generation | Share | World share | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3.80 TWh | 0.6% | 14.0% | 1.83 GW |
| 2024 | 4.30 TWh | 0.7% | 14.4% | 1.82 GW |
| 2023 | 3.72 TWh | 0.6% | 14.3% | 1.82 GW |
| 2022 | 3.54 TWh | 0.6% | 15.0% | 1.81 GW |
| 2021 | 3.05 TWh | 0.5% | 15.2% | 1.82 GW |
| 2020 | 3.88 TWh | 0.7% | 16.3% | 1.81 GW |
| 2019 | 2.79 TWh | 0.5% | 15.8% | 1.81 GW |
| 2018 | 3.36 TWh | 0.6% | 15.8% | 1.80 GW |
| 2017 | 2.81 TWh | 0.5% | 16.0% | 1.79 GW |
| 2016 | 2.85 TWh | 0.5% | 16.3% | 1.79 GW |
Full year by year history for South Korea
Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of 2025. World shares are Ember's World totals; ranks compare each country's latest year, which can differ between countries.
Hydro Generation Month by Month
Ember monthly statistics through June 2026Monthly statistics through June 2026, TWh
| Month | Hydro |
|---|---|
| 2024-07 | 640 GWh |
| 2024-08 | 390 GWh |
| 2024-09 | 300 GWh |
| 2024-10 | 230 GWh |
| 2024-11 | 200 GWh |
| 2024-12 | 210 GWh |
| 2025-01 | 220 GWh |
| 2025-02 | 190 GWh |
| 2025-03 | 200 GWh |
| 2025-04 | 250 GWh |
| 2025-05 | 430 GWh |
| 2025-06 | 440 GWh |
| 2025-07 | 290 GWh |
| 2025-08 | 310 GWh |
| 2025-09 | 400 GWh |
| 2025-10 | 580 GWh |
| 2025-11 | 270 GWh |
| 2025-12 | 220 GWh |
| 2026-01 | 220 GWh |
| 2026-02 | 190 GWh |
| 2026-03 | 210 GWh |
| 2026-04 | 240 GWh |
| 2026-05 | 300 GWh |
| 2026-06 | 320 GWh |
Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of June 2026. Monthly figures for South Korea can differ slightly from the annual totals.